Pocket carried amusement device with flashing lights



Dec. 27, 1966 E. E. DU RAND m 3,

POCKET CARRIED AMUSEMENT DEVICE WITH FLASHING LIGHTS Filed Dec. 19, 1963 39 W Z3 Z6 9 3221 17 '45 J5 W /4 /6 /4 /5 35 58 4/ /5 7 L L L/ I 22- fg 20 I NVENTOR.

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United States Patent 3,294,397 PGCKET CARRIED AMUEMENT DEVIIIE WITH FLASHING LIGHTS Elden Edwin Du Rand III, 114 Central Ave., Pewee Valley, Ky. @056 Filed Dec. 19, 1963, Ser. No. 331,790 1 Claim. (Cl. 2721) This invention relates to an amusement device, and is particularly characterized by a plurality of continuously and intermittently flashing lights, which is entertaining to the eye and which may be employed in a variety of situations, such as in toys, amusement devices, Christmas tree decorations, advertising signs, or in other situations where blinking or flahing lights at irregular or intermittent intervals are desired.

A primary object of this invention is the provision of such a device employing intermittently flashing lights characterized by the use of a relaxation oscillator in circuit with a neon tube or its equivalent in electrical characteristics, there being a plurality of such relaxation oscillators differently timed or cycled and so arranged as to produce intermittent illumination of a plurality of lamps or lights.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character which is battery operated, and which due to the extremely low current drain upon the batteries, is characterized by extreme longevity.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character which may be encompassed in an extremely small space, so that when used purely as an amusement device, it may be carried in a pocket if desired.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character which is extremely simple in operation and circuitry, which is sturdy and durable in construction, reliable and eflicient in operation, and which will operate for extremely long periods of time without the necessity of replacing the batteries.

Still other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out hereinafter and shown in the accompanying drawing wherein there is disclosed one illustrative embodiment of the instant inventive concept.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a simple casing enclosing three intermittently blinking lights in accordance with the instant inventive concept.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1, parts thereof being shown in elevation.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows; and

FIGURE 4 is a schematic wiring diagram showing the circuitry of one form of device constructed in accordance with the instant invention.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

Having reference now to the drawing in detail, the device of the instant invention in perhaps its simplest form comprises a casing generally indicated at 10, which is constructed of plastic or the like, and which includes an opaque section 11, which is adapted to contain the battery and circuitry, and a transparent section 12. In the preferred embodiment of the instant invention the opaque sectionll is closed by a removable partition 13, and is provided with a flange 14 which accommodates a corresponding but opposite flange 15 carried by the transparent section 12. The panel or partition 13 is provided with a plurality of openings or sockets 16, in the illustrative embodiment 3, in each of which is positioned a neon lamp 17 or its electronic equivalent. The opaque portion or section 11 of the casing contains a battery, schematically indicated at 20 in FIGURE 4, and its associated wiring. From one terminal 21 of battery 20 a Wire 22 leads to three terminals 23, 24, and 25 from each of which wires 26, 27, and 23 lead to resistors 29, 30, and 31. The other end of each resistor extends to a terminal 32, 33, and 34 from each of which one wire 35, 36, and 37 extends to one terminal of a lamp or tube 17. From the other terminal of each tube wires 38, 39, and 40 extend to terminals 41, 42, and 43 in a return line 44 to the other terminal of the battery 20. From each of terminals 32, 33, and 34 a parallel connector 45, 46, and 47 extends through a capacitor 48, 49, and 50 to the return line 44, the line 49 extending to terminal 43 and the lines 45 and 46 extending to terminals 51 and 52, respectively.

The resistors 29, 30, and 31 as well as the capacitors 48, 49, and may be of any value which will produce a frequency of from one-half cycle per second to twenty cycles per second, it being understood that although, as is Well known, it is extremely di flicult to produce capacitors and resistors of identical value, that variation may be readily effected so that for example, if the resistor capacitor unit 29, 48 has a cycle of one-half, the resistor capacitor assembly 39 has a cycle of 10, and the resistor capacitor assembly 31 has a cycle of 5, a widely varying and apparently random sequence of flashes will be produced.

While the invention is herein shown and described as incorporating three lights in a transparent receptacle, it is to be understood that obviously any desired number of lights may be employed in any desired arrangement, and that the device may be employed solely for amusement purposes, or may be coupled with an advertising device, a blinking light, or an ornamental circuit such as Christmas tree lighting.

From the foregoing it will now be seen that there is herein provided a device and circuitry therefor which accomplishes all of the objects of this invention, including many advantages of high entertainment value as well as commercial importance.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and as many modifications may be made of the embodiment hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

An amusement device adapted to be carried conveniently in a pocket of a garment comprising a rectangular box composed of opaque plastic having an open front with means forming a flange around the open front,

a rectangular box composed of transparent plastic having an open back with means forming a flange around the open back for sealably comating with the flange on the opaque box forming a compact closed box of a size which may easily be carried in a garment pocket,

an opaque removable partition in the closed box having three linearly spaced apertures therein and dividing the closed box into two compartments of approximately equal volume,

three neon lamps extending into the transparent box from the opaque box through the three apertures in the partition,

a battery in the opaque box,

three resistors of different resistances in the opaque box,

three capacitors of different capacitances in the opaque box,

conductor means connecting the three resistors and the three capacitors to form three individual series circuits with the battery and a resistor and a capacitor in References Cited by the Examiner each circuit, UNITED STATES PATENTS conductor means connecting each of the neon lamps 2,794,298 1 57 Mason 45.423 electrically individually in parallel with the respec- 5 3,193,817 7/1965 Olewine 340-321 tive capacitors whereby the neon lamps blink on and 3,197,757 7/ 1965 Form 340-321 off independently of each other and at different fre- FOREIGN PATENTS quencies with respect to each other, said frequencies 778,438 7/1957 Great Britain.

being between 0.5 and 20 cycles per second, to give DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner. a pleasurable sensation when being observed. 10 R. F. CUTTING, Assistant Examiner. 

